'What We Want' by Linda Pastan

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What we want
is never simple.
We move among the things
we thought we wanted:
a face, a room, an open book
and these things bear our names--
now they want us.
But what we want appears
in dreams, wearing disguises.
We fall past,
holding out our arms
and in the morning
our arms ache.
We don't remember the dream,
but the dream remembers us.
It is there all day
as an animal is there
under the table,
as the stars are there
even in full sun.

Editor 1 Interpretation

What We Want by Linda Pastan: A Deconstruction of Human Desires

Have you ever paused and reflected on what you truly want in life? Is it wealth, fame, love, or something entirely different? Linda Pastan’s poem, “What We Want,” explores the complexities of human desires and the endless quest for happiness.

The Poem

The poem begins with a rhetorical question, “What we want,” and the speaker immediately answers, “is never simple.” This opening sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which explores how human desires are multifaceted and often contradictory. Pastan goes on to describe how we want “many things,” such as “a love that is full,” “a house with rooms,” and “the sea nearby.” These desires are all familiar and relatable, but as the poem progresses, the speaker reveals that our wants are never fully satisfied.

The second stanza begins with the lines, “We want to be held in the great / hands of our beginnings and forget the end.” Here, Pastan touches on the desire for security and the fear of death. We want to feel safe and protected, but we also want to forget about the inevitable end that awaits us all. The line, “We want to be unfettered,” suggests that we want to be free from the burdens of life and the constraints that society places upon us.

In the third stanza, the speaker lists more desires, such as “a brush that never went dry,” “a bed with fresh sheets,” and “an endless bowl of soup.” These desires are all materialistic, but they also represent the desire for comfort and sustenance. The line, “We want to travel with no money in our pockets,” suggests that we want to be carefree and explore the world without the constraints of money.

The fourth stanza begins with the line, “And yet,” which suggests a shift in tone. The speaker acknowledges that despite our many desires, we are never fully satisfied. We always want more. The line, “All that we have is all that we want,” suggests that we are content with what we have, but we are also aware that there is always something more to strive for. The final lines, “In the meantime / we have the night sky and the sweet smell of sweet clover,” suggest that we can find beauty and happiness in the simple things in life.

Interpretation

“What We Want” is a poem that explores the complexities of human desires and the endless quest for happiness. Pastan uses a variety of poetic devices such as repetition, metaphors, and imagery to convey her message. The poem is divided into four stanzas, with each stanza exploring a different aspect of human desire.

The repetition of the phrase “we want” throughout the poem emphasizes the many desires that humans have. The repetition also creates a sense of urgency and restlessness, suggesting that our desires are never fully satisfied.

The metaphors in the poem help to convey the different aspects of human desire. For example, the line “We want to travel with no money in our pockets” is a metaphor for the desire to be carefree and explore the world without the constraints of money. The metaphor of “the great hands of our beginnings” suggests a desire for security and protection.

The imagery in the poem helps to create a vivid picture of human desires. The image of “a love that is full” suggests a desire for emotional fulfillment, while the image of “a bed with fresh sheets” represents the desire for physical comfort.

Overall, “What We Want” is a thought-provoking poem that explores the complexities of human desires. Pastan’s use of poetic devices such as repetition, metaphors, and imagery creates a vivid picture of the many desires that humans have. The poem suggests that while our desires are multifaceted and often contradictory, we can still find happiness in the simple things in life.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry has always been a medium for expressing the deepest emotions and thoughts of the human mind. It is a form of art that has the power to move and inspire people in ways that no other form of expression can. Linda Pastan's poem "What We Want" is a perfect example of the power of poetry to capture the essence of human desires and aspirations.

The poem begins with the line "What we want is never simple." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it suggests that the desires and aspirations of human beings are complex and multifaceted. The poem goes on to describe some of the things that people want, such as "the grace of simplicity," "the light of the moon," and "the sound of rain." These are all things that are simple in themselves, but they represent something much deeper and more profound.

The poem then takes a turn, as it describes some of the things that people do not want. These include "the weight of history," "the burden of knowledge," and "the pain of memory." These are all things that are complex and difficult to deal with, and they represent the darker side of human experience.

Despite the complexity of human desires and aspirations, the poem suggests that there is a common thread that runs through all of them. This thread is the desire for meaning and purpose in life. The poem suggests that people want to feel that their lives have meaning and that they are part of something larger than themselves. This is reflected in the line "we want to live, to love, to be loved, to be forgiven, and to be remembered after we are gone."

The poem ends with the line "what we want is simple: a beginning, a middle, and an end." This line suggests that despite the complexity of human desires and aspirations, there is a simplicity to life that we all crave. We want to know that our lives have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and that we have made a difference in the world.

Overall, "What We Want" is a powerful and moving poem that captures the essence of human desires and aspirations. It reminds us that despite the complexity of our lives, there is a simplicity to life that we all crave. We want to feel that our lives have meaning and purpose, and that we are part of something larger than ourselves. This is the power of poetry, to capture the essence of the human experience and to inspire us to live our lives to the fullest.

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